Regulation & Policy: Page 17
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Avangrid, other utilities urge FERC to reject ‘false’ claims of insufficient transmission cost reviews
But New England ratepayer advocates support a challenge to the utilities’ alleged failure to adequately share information about their “asset condition” projects.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 23, 2024 -
FERC enforcement office seeks $27M from Ketchup Caddy for MISO demand response fraud
The CEO of the company, which had “no legitimate market activity,” according to FERC staff, said he planned to “[d]o this for just a couple of years, make a bunch of money to put kids through school .... and no one’s hurt.”
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 22, 2024 -
Trendline
Sustainability
Companies are pursuing increasingly ambitous sustainability goals around clean energy, but integrating rising amounts of renewables, minimizing environmental impacts, and achieving carbon reduction targets can be challenging.
By Utility Dive staff -
5 takeaways from the investor-owned utility sector’s day on Wall Street
Utilities will likely issue equity this year to fund the energy transition’s record capital spending, Edison Electric Institute officials said.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 21, 2024 -
Colorado cities urge FERC to reject cost allocation for Xcel’s $2B Power Pathway transmission project
The Municipal Energy Agency of Nebraska, which serves four states, along with three of its municipal utility members in Colorado, contend they won’t benefit from the project and shouldn’t pay for any of it.
By Ethan Howland • Updated Feb. 23, 2024 -
California PUC approves plan to add 56 GW of clean energy resources by 2035
The resources are needed to meet the California Public Utilities Commission’s new 25 MMT annual electric sector carbon emissions target for 2035, a nearly 60% drop from the 2020 level.
By Kavya Balaraman • Feb. 20, 2024 -
Domestic uranium enrichment gets $2.7B boost from US Senate
The Emergency National Security Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 funds conventional and advanced U.S. uranium enrichment capabilities, but the bill faces an uncertain future in the U.S. House of Representatives.
By Brian Martucci • Feb. 16, 2024 -
FERC OKs cold weather reliability standards, and 5 other takeaways from Thursday’s open meeting
The agency intends to move forward in the “very near future” on its pending regional transmission planning and cost allocation rule, per Chairman Willie Phillips.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 16, 2024 -
State officials blame federal regulation for higher energy prices: ‘Customers are getting hurt.’
Proposed federal limits on fossil fuel power plants will further raise costs and weaken reliability, three state energy officials told a U.S. House subcommittee on Wednesday.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 15, 2024 -
State utility regulators urge PJM, MISO to bolster joint interregional transmission planning
“Expanding transfer capacity between regions can help to improve grid resilience and minimize the negative impacts of extreme weather events,” OMS and OPSI told the grid operators.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 14, 2024 -
Arizona Corporation Commission moves to eliminate energy efficiency rules, renewables targets
The move is “a big step backwards” for Arizona, said Mark Kresowik, senior policy director for the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 13, 2024 -
Maryland ratepayer advocate urges FERC to reject PJM’s $5.1B transmission cost allocation plan
Virginia — not other states — should pay for transmission costs driven by its data center incentive policy, the Maryland Office of People’s Counsel said.
By Ethan Howland • Updated Feb. 14, 2024 -
EU passes domestic clean energy act, trailing US supply chain and climate bills
The European Commission agreed to the Net-Zero Industry Act to increase domestic manufacturing, following similar domestic production acts passed by the U.S.
By Lamar Johnson • Feb. 12, 2024 -
Phillips named FERC chair as Clements decides against second term
Clements’ announcement that she will not serve another term at FERC opens up the possibility that the agency will lose its quorum, delaying commission votes, WIRES Executive Director Larry Gasteiger said.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 12, 2024 -
Sponsored by Kraken Technologies
Enabling a fair and just transition: Digitalization of the grid is holding us back
The energy transition is in full swing, and we have the tech to make it happen — here’s why we need to make sure our journey to net zero is as equitable and just as possible.
By Charlotte Johnson – Global Head of Markets, Kraken – Asset & Optimization • Feb. 12, 2024 -
CAISO seeks FERC approval to cancel 2024 interconnection study process
As it deals with an interconnection backlog, the California Independent System Operator hasn’t started studying last year’s interconnection requests, which totaled 350 GW, the grid operator told FERC on Thursday.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 9, 2024 -
Opinion
What utility commissioners should know about a flawed Western day-ahead market study
The study reads like an advertisement for a product that’s missing important context and comparisons — and as individual utility filings appear in dockets around the West, public utility commissioners should approach it as such.
By Bob Jenks • Feb. 9, 2024 -
PJM set to hold capacity auction in June after receiving mixed FERC decisions
FERC-approved changes to PJM’s capacity auction will likely boost capacity prices and help the grid operator acquire capacity during the energy transition, according to an ESAI Power analyst.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 9, 2024 -
Interregional transmission would grow 126%, to 191 GW, by 2035 under BIG WIRES bill: report
The biggest percentage growth in interregional transmission expansion would occur in the Southeast, according to analysis by the Center on Global Energy Policy at Columbia University.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 8, 2024 -
EPA tightens annual soot standard as TVA, other utilities say science doesn’t back change
The agency expects almost all counties will meet the revised fine particulate matter standard, a fact the U.S. Chamber of Commerce disputed.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 7, 2024 -
DOE launches solicitation for up to $1.2B in transmission capacity contracts
The Tuesday request for proposals marks the second round of potential funding from the DOE’s Transmission Facilitation Program.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 7, 2024 -
FERC approves ISO-NE day-ahead reserve initiative, in boost to flexible resources
The plan will provide increased revenue to flexible resources like energy storage that can provide reserves to meet any unexpected real-time power supply needs.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 5, 2024 -
Clean energy groups back Duke Energy multi-value local transmission planning proposal
If approved, Duke could have the only local planning process that uses proactive, multi-value scenario planning, according to North Carolina clean energy groups.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 5, 2024 -
FEMA to help communities pay for net-zero energy projects post-disaster
Communities can now leverage the agency’s grant programs to install solar microgrids, heat pumps and passive cooling when rebuilding schools, hospitals, fire stations and other infrastructure in a disaster’s wake.
By Ysabelle Kempe • Feb. 2, 2024 -
Eversource, others may be capitalizing on lax reviews for some transmission projects: Maine officials
“Asset condition” projects receive almost no regulatory scrutiny by states or ISO New England, possibly to the benefit of utility shareholders, Maine’s ratepayer office told the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
By Ethan Howland • Feb. 2, 2024 -
Texas to explore new grid recovery options after 82% of blackstart units failed during Winter Storm Uri
The state should consider how its growing battery storage resources could help with system recovery in the event of a widespread grid collapse, said Texas PUC Commissioner Jimmy Glotfelty.
By Robert Walton • Feb. 2, 2024